Filling machine with rotary valve



June 24, 1952 MCGIHQN' 2,601,542

FILLING MACHINE WITH ROTARY VALVE Filed Nov. 19, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. s0/wea Mc/Ha/v June 24, 1952 L, McGlHON 2,601,542

FILLING MACHINE WITH ROTARY VALVE y Filed Nov. 19, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 BY M7@ ZEN June 24, 1952 L, MGGIHQN 2,601,542

FILLING MACHINE WITH ROTARY VALVE Filed Nov. 19, 1946 5 sheets-sheet 5 mi /r/. 6

ATTO/@Nif Patented .une 2&4, i952 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFi-CE ruime. uiiio'iiiijiigiluiziiiioimu vALvii Franeisn, Calif.

Api'iiotioii November 19, 194s, 'serial No. 110,814

The present invention relates 4tn canningY Ina"- chinery and is concerned inoe ii'aftioularli'i with a filling machine for completing the ll'of a can or container with 'a syrup br saue. f

Itis a general 'object of Athe invention to pro-` vide an improved lling machine of the 'eha'r' acier oominoiil'y employed iii oaiir'ioiies.

Another objeet of the invention i's to' provide a machine of the bbvelbter Which 'operates to insure proper positioning ofthe conteurs'with` in the Cbt'anr and t thereafter C'lhl't the uu lof the yooiiiuiiier with u sauce 'or syrup.

Another object of the invention is 'to provide machinery of 'the above 'chracteiiwhibh is of a exible nature 'anti aditable for use iii VLUS positions ina tanning; line.

A further object 'f the IiVtlOliS tobiide a machine f the bv character 'employing presser for insuring iojr'iiiiieii positioning of a produot wiihiiia container anu fir cutting oir any portionsor trie prouuot for Jot be: youd the 'side van of the oiitiiier and for thereafter effecting the stribiih of the eont'aiier fror the pressing head in 'an advantaeus manner. y

A further object of the invention is' t provide a filling machine in which unnecessary operations of the lling valve are eliminated.

Other objects advantages f theiiivi'erition will be apparent from the jfollwingdescrifition of a preferred embodiinentlthereof asi illustrated in the aoeompeiiy'iug drawings, in wil-ion:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a 'rhchirie eriribodi'-r ing the invention.

Figure 2 is aside elevational view of the Inachir'ie shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertieal sectional vievv ofthe pressing turret of the `Iiachir'ie taken inthe plane indicated bythe line 3 3 iii Figure 1.

Figure 4 is ya fragmentary sectional View taken as indicated by the une `il-t in Figure 3.

yFigure 5 is a vertical sectioned 'view of ythe filling turret and assoitedffeehanisi taken as' indicated by the line 5-'-5i11"Fiure 1.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary stior'ial plan' view' of a filling valve taken as indicated by the line E-B in Figure 5.

Figure 7 isa bottoni iilan viet'v'of one of the filling heads o f each'fllling valli/e.`

In connetio'n with the canning of shh 'such as sardines, it is -custoiary top aek the 'fish in the tails 'of the `i-ish will protrude slightly over the edg'e of the can. As a result, most cans require a pressing br 'tuck-ing of the sh into the can as a `i;orelmiary to the lsaucing or syruping of the can.

The insta-nt mahine is 'of the type to receive cans vfilled with-fish andto thereafter pass the dans vin an aut'onfiati'c.fashion through a pressing or tucki'ng'fturret to 'in'sure proper disposition und positi'oiiiniiir 'of the sh vi'rthin the cans and then t transfer the` 'ans 'to the saucing or syruping turretfin Whi'h the 'cans are vacuum llecl in the appropriate `amount With a sauce and are sub-v s'elu'ehtlir di'charg'el fr'rn the machine for feeding to a conventional form 'of an closing mah'l'.

Referring to the drawings, the machine i11- toludes' a freine or body portion lu (Figures 1 and 2) Wl'l'cliviS Slltibal ird OI' end and includes aiiri'riate lnu'ntihf'g stations f'o'r a pressing or tuer-iii turret and .u iiiiiiig 'oi 'syrupiiig tur- V't T2, isbiibd ih atr detail hereinafter. The 'ii -l pi/ide all adjustable' pivotal mou'lti fr 'aifed mechanism I3 and for u drive unit I4.

1t vvill be understood that the 'cans are reeived by the feed uit I3 `which transfers them to the iiio'ss'iu turret 1| where uio `proper posit'iiiig f the dte'rits is insured. Freni the Di's'g ytillit ythe l are traified to the syruping turret l2 vhi the desired amount of au'e 0i Syrup ll is' rfo'ind.

Can feed mechanism The ban -fe libehtisin I3 (Figures 1 and 2) includes a support """el'iet'Zl which is supported adjuetably' en the ran bi neans j a bracket extension l biv'ted ut the shaft 22 ofthe felfstar livheel 23 referred to hereinafter. The

shaft is Tsupported jourialled beth in the frame 1 0 and the fle brake't |962. The

bia-okee 2| of the osu feou'iiiooiiuuisiii islosiosbio oi udiusimeiii; atout axis of the snuit 2i sete'e the vfull dtte'ln positions thereof shown in Figure 1 and is held in position by fnae a ri f edlally Siacel belts 25.-l eltiv' ligf of the ll for the blts"y 25 the angular' 'in' of the bracket 2f can be adjusted,- ai'id 11i-tis Way.' the i'aehine is adaptable fr-can f frn various ireeticns.

The braelet 'suio't's a doubl chain conieyr '2li' trained butrsrietive driving and idler drinne l and-traveling respective' grooves Pirenei to uio ouai-iii ocm-` struction which is journalled in respective similar brackets 38 on the table 2I for engaging a can travelling on the chains 24, and for retarding its travel to the desired speed at which the feed to the machine is to be performed. The worm 29 is driven by means including spiral gearing 3 I, a spur gear 32, an idler gear 33, and a gear 34 on the shaft 22 which serves to drive the star wheel 23 in timed relation with respect to the timing worm 29. The gear 34 is driven in a manner later described from the drive mechanism I4. A guide rail 36 extends from the right-hand bracket 38, as viewed in Figure 1, over the turret II. The rotation of the timing worm 29 is such that cans are fed successively to each of the three arms of the star wheel 23 for propelling thereby along the rail 38 into the pressing turret of the machine.

Pressing turret The pressing turret includes an endless series of vertically aligned can supports and pressing heads for receiving cans successively from the feed mechanism and for aligning and holding each can for entry of the pressing head into the can to insure proper packing of the product therein. Each pressing head also includes a stripper plate or disk which is effective to maintain the can on its support at the time the pressing head is stripped or withdrawn from the can. Each pressing head also has associated therewith a wiper for cleaning off the top edge of a can. In the present embodiment, the pressing turret as well as the other parts of the machine are adapted for use with an oval type can in which fish are packed.

As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the frame I8 is provided with an opening to receive an upper bearing and support collar 4I for a drive sleeve 42 and a stationary support shaft 43 within the sleeve 42. A lower bearing and supporting collar 4 I for the sleeve 42 is carried by a frame bracket IIla spaced below and supported from the frame I9. The shaft 43 is supported at its lower end in a tubular support bracket 40 depending from the frame bracket lila. The pressing turret Il includes a rotary table 44 which has its hub 44a keyed to the sleeve 42 at 46, and the lower end of the hub 44a is received within a retaining guide collar 41. The table 44 forms a can support in cooperation with a turret plate 48 bolted thereon and having a series of evenly spaced can-receiving recesses 48a in the periphery thereof.

Opposed to each of the can receiving recesses 48a (Figures 1 and 3) are a pair of can engaging and aligning fingers 49 carried by a transverse shaft I in a bearing block 52 secured below the table 44 at each can support. Each shaft 5I carries a gear 53 meshing with a rack 54 for controlling oscillation of the aligning fingers 49. The rack 54 in turn is controlled by the engagement of a roller 56 thereon within a cam track 51 secured on the main support table I6. As will be described later, each pair of aligning fingers 49 cooperates with the associated can receiving recess 48a to align the can with the associated pressing head.

Aligned with each of the can supports provided on the can table 44, there is mounted a can engaging head indicated generally at 5I (Figures 1, 2 and 3) which includes a support sleeve 62 guided for vertical movement in a boss 63 of a spider 64 keyed at 66 on the sleeve 42. Each of the sleeves 62 adjacent its upper end carries a roller 61 engaging within a cam track 68 supported by a casting 84 on the center post 43. The cam track 68 serves to control the vertical positioning of the respective pressing heads 6 I. At its lower end, each head 6I includes an oval plate 1I conforming to the contour of the can being filled and having pressing lips 12 adjacent each end thereof for entry within the can in close contact with the wall thereof. The pressing head `6I has a hub 1Ia secured on the sleeve 62 and providing a journal support for a four-armed wiper 13 for engaging the top edge of the can. The rotative position of the Wiper 13 is controlled by four spaced aligning recesses 14a therein (Figure 4) connected by grooves and cooperating with a spring-pressed ball 16 seated Within a collar 11 secured on the sleeve 62.

The pressing head 6I (Figure 3) also includes a central stripper disk or plate 18 which is guided within the sleeve 62 and projects upwardly therethrough at 18a for independent control of the vertical movement thereof. As shown, .the stripper 18 floats with respect to the pressing head 6I and is raised vertically with respect thereto when the head is lowered into engagement with a can as shown in Figure 3.

For controlling the wiping movement of the four-armed wiper 13, there is provided a roller BI (Figures 1 and 2) carried by an arm 82 and clisposed to engage one of the wiper arms 13a of each station of the turret and turn each wiper through an angle of 90 so that the top edge of a can is cleaned off. Also a Wiper arm 13a of each head l is positioned for cooperation with the roller 8| on the next succeeding rotation of the turret, and is held in position by the ball latch 16.

For control of the stripper disk 18 of each head, a plate 83 (Figure 1) is secured on the casting 84 in which the cam track 68 is formed in a position to engage the upper end 18a of the stripper.

During the time that the cam track 68 lifts the presser head 6I to disengage the presser plate 1I from within the can, the stripper disk 18 `is held in engagement with the contents of the can by the plate 83 and thereby holds the can against lifting with the presser plate 1I.

The drive for the table 44 is transmitted thereto through the sleeve 42 from a gear 19 keyed thereon and driven in a manner later described.

Transfer means rThe means for transferring cans from the pressing turret I I to the filling turret I2 includes a star wheel 86 (Figures 1 and 2) carried by a shaft 81 which is suitably journalled in the frame I9 and the frame bracket IDa. The shaft 81 carries a gear 88 meshing with the gear 19 and with a gear 89 of the filling turret. Cooperating with the transfer star wheel 88 is a transfer support plate 9| which extends between the turrets II and I2, and a rail or fence 92 which extends inwardly over the table 44 of the pressing turret to guide a can out of the turret socket while it is propelled by the turret. Thereafter one of the arms of the star wheel 86 contacts the trailing end of the can to complete its removal from the presser turret I I and transfer it to a similar socket of the filling turret I2.

Filling turret The filling turret operates to receive cans in which the fish or other contents are in proper position therein by virtue of the pressing operation previously performed, and to vacuum filll facci-,54e

past a filling station foropening of 'a valve having a can associated therewith, `and then :past avclosing station which closes the valve after the iilling operation is completed. l

The i'illing turret I2 (Figures 1, 2 and 5) includes a support shaft II' which is journalled in an upper bearing member |02 carried on the frame H! and in a lower bearing member |03 also 'supported on the table by means including the `Vframe bracket Ita. yBetween the v)clearing members |92 and |93 the gear 89 is keyedto thes'ha'ft lIill. The shaft I`|I| has keyed 'thereto a filling' table |96 having a plurality of bosses I"||| around 'the periphery thereof containing bearing supports |08 for a series 'of can lift members |09. Each can lift member |09 includesan upper can lsupport plate |09a and a lower roller |095 which cooperates with an annular cam track I I on the frame The lling table |06 also carries a can positioning spider |I'2 having a series 'o 'recesses ||2a about the `periphery for engagement by a can as shown, for example, in dotted lines at I3 in Figure 5.

The shaft IDI (Figures 1,2 and 5) 'at its upper end has secured thereon a tank for containing the sauce to be lled and the tank includes 'a bottom wall H` having a side wall II`| secured thereon. The bottom wall II6 provides a support for a series of similar filling valves, each filling valve including a center post I I8 having a `lovve'r vguide extension Iia seated in a cooperating -recess in the bottom wall |I6 of the tank. At its upper end each post IIB is secured to a ring I'I9 by means of clamping nuts |2|. Disposed about 'the center post H8 is a valve member 'or sleeve |22 having a pair of opposite extensions |23 (Figures 5 and 6) in engagement with the bottom wall I I6 of the tank and adapted to selectively open and close respective /diametrically opposed openings |24 therein upon successive-90 rotations of the sleeve. A spring |25 urges the sleeve |22 downwardly to seat its extensions |323 against the bottom wall I I6 of the tank.

For the purpose of controlling the rotated psition of the valve sleeve |22, it is provided With a four-armed spider |26 at 'the upper end thereof. Each alternate arm of the spider |26 carries an upwardly projecting roller |28-, while'the other alternate pair of arms 'thereof `-carry downwardly projecting rollers |29. The rollers |26 comprise valve opening elements disposed in one plane, while the rollers Y|29 are valve closing elements disposed in another plane.

Each lling Valve mechanism also includes 'a can engaging head i-n the form of a plate |3I (Figures and 7) which carries a resilient-can engaging seal member |32 in a shape conforming to the oval shape of the can and a head-space plate |33 within the outline of the seal member |32. The head plate |:3'I is provided with a pair of passages |34 aligned with the passages |24 in the tank wall and also with corresponding passages in the head-spaceplate l| 33,'whichopen into a cross shaped groove |35 iin the bottom surfacev of the head-space plate |33. A v

To provide for vacuum lli'ng 'of the cans, the lower surface of the head-plate |31 has a diagonal groove |35 therein which extends beyond the head-space plate |33 to open into the-end spaces of a can, and also communicate with the central opening of the .head plate. -Al'so the 'guide 'extension ||3a of each guide post |I=8 has a passage I4I opening into a 'radial `passage H2 inthe bottom tank wall I I6. Thepassage |42 opens upwardly into 'a .counter bored aperture .|43

formed in a vacuum ring |44 Vsecured on the tank Wall I I6. A cooperating stationary Vacuum ring |49 is provided which is held against the ring |44 by a plurality of conventional presser members |41 (Figure 1), and this stationary ring |46 has `a segmental annular groove |45 for cooperation successively with the apertures |43 of each of the lling valves as they rotate through the lling zone. As seen in Figure 1, the vacuum ring |46 has a connection |48 leading to a suitable source of vacuum and the extent of the vacuum recess |45, as seen in Figure 1, is such that an appropriate vacuum is applied to the can before the associated filling valve is opened.

In order to control the operation of the filling valves, a suitable forni of no-can-no-iill device is provided which is responsive to the presence of a container to cause operation of the lling Valve from closed. to open condition. As seen in Figures l, 2 and 5, at the lling or opening station of the lling turret there is provided an arm I 5| pivoted at |52 in a suitable mounting bracket |53 supported on the frame ID and spring-urged upwardly Vby a lcompression spring |54 surrounding a pull rod |56 guided in the bracket. The pull rod |56 extends downwardly and is connected to an arm |51 secured on a shaft |55 journalled in the cam track-III and carrying an arm I 59 at its other end :for engagement by a roller 6| supported coaxially with the roller |692). Adjacent the .roller |6| is a smaller roller |62 which is provided for depressing the can lift members by means of a suitable cam (not shown).

From the above description it will be seen that the arm |59 is spring urged upwardly and extends along and adjacent to the raised portion of thc cam track |II for lifting the can lift members. Normally the arm |59 is slightly above the cam track The strength of the spring |54 is so selected that it can raise the can lift member |99 oi of the track if no can is on the member, and the valve opening arm I5! will re- Y main in its normal dotted line position shown in Figure 5. In this position a roller |29 will pass beneath the arm I 5| and the Valve associated with the empty can lift will not be opened. However, when a can is interposed between the lift member I 99 and the head |3I, a positive block is provided against further lifting of the can lift member |59 by the arm |59 and the spring |54 so that the arm |59 is depressed by the can lift member. Correspondingly, the arm |5I is depressed to the full line position shown in Figure 5. As a result, a roller |23 will strike this arm and the filling valve sleeve |22 will be rotated so that one of the valve closing rollers |29 will be in the outward active position ready for cooperation with a valve closing member.

The valve closing station com-prises an arm |66 mounted by a bracket |61 on the frame I0, and disposed in the plane of the valve closing rollers |29. It will be recalled that when a valve is opened, a closing roller |29 is moved to active position. Thus a filling valve which has been opened to fill a can will be closed by engagement of the active roller |29 with the arm |66 and this 90 movement of the valve sleeve |22 will again bring a roller |218 to active position for cooperation with the valve opening station on the next succeeding rotation of the lling turret.

To providefor openingvof the filled cans to atmosphere and 4for resultant gravity completion of` the filling operation, if desired, the vacuum ring |46 has av segmental arcuate groove |68 which is open to theatmosphere through the associated aperture in an associated presser member |41.

Cans are discharged from the filling turret by means including a suitable discharge support plate |1|, a rail or fence |12 and a star wheel Drive um't The star wheel |13 (Figures l and 2) is carried by a shaft |14 which also carries a drive gear |15 for the filling turret gear 89 and also provides a mounting or pivotal support for a drive unit including a bracket |11 which carries a shaft |18 and a sprocket |19 for receiving a drive. The bracket |11 is secured to the frame bracket lua by a series of equally spaced bolts IBI providing for connection of the drive unit in a selected angular location. The shaft |13 is connected through a bevel pinion |82 and a bevel gear |83 to the shaft |14 to transmit the drive thereto.

As seen in Figure l, the drive mechanism can be adjusted at any selected position between the full and dotted line positions thereof shown. Also, by installing a shaft such as |14 for supporting the feed star Wheel 23, the drive unit I4 can be mounted below the feed unit |3.

In operation cans in which the product such as sardines has been placed are fed into the machine by the conveyor 24 and the feed star wheel 23 so that each can is moved into cooperative relation with a pressing head 6|. Accurate alignment of a can with the cooperating head 6I is provided by the joint action of the aligning fingers 49 and the aligned recess 48a of the turret. During continued rotation of the turret the cam 68 operates to lower the pressing head so that the pressing plate 1| is moved within the can as shown in Figure 3 and wiping spider 13 is engaged with the upper edge of the can. The pressing plate 1I insures proper positioning of the fish Within the can. In other words, any fish which is improperly positioned in the can is pressed down and will be positioned so as not to interfere with the can closing operation. Also, any fish which may project beyond the side Wall of the can will either be tucked inside the can or will be cut off so that no portion of a fish can interfere with can closing. Subsequently, the roller 8| engages one of the arms 13a to rotate the wiping spider to 90 so that the top edge of the can is cleaned.

During continued rotation of the pressing turret the pressing head 6| is lifted by the cam track 68 at the time that the stripper plate 18 has its control shaft 13a disposed beneath the plate 83. In this way the can is prevented from following the withdrawal of the presser plate 1|.

Subsequently, the can is removed from the pressing turret and fed to the filling turret by means including Ythe fence 92 and the transfer star wheel 86 and is disposed on a can lift device |09 below one of the filling valves |26. Immediately before the filling valve and its associated container lift plate arrive at the zone occupied by the vacuum slot |45 (Figure 1), the can lift cam III becomes operative to engage the can with the filling head. Also the no-canno-ll control lever |59 is depressed to move the arm in the path of the upwardly projecting roller |28 on the filling head so that the filling valve is adjusted (rotated through 90) to open the apertures |24 as seen at the left of Figure 6. In this view, the valve is part way adjusted between its closedrand opened positions. The opening of a valve occurs after the associated can has passed beyond the zone of the vacuum groove |45.

At this time the sauce from the tank flows` into the can under the pull of the vacuum therein. During the last portion of the filling operation, the space Within the can is opened to atmosphere. This occurs when the passage |42 registers with the slot |66 so that a gravity completion of the fill can be obtained. Shortly, thereafter the downwardly extending valve closing roller |23 which is in active position engages the arm |66, and the filling valve is turned to its closed position. Thereafter the can is removed from the filling turret by the cooperation of the star wheel |13 and the fence |12 and is transferred to a closing machine of conventional character (not shown).

While I have shown certain preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be apparent that the invention is capable of further variation and modification and its scope should be limitedonly by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a filling machine, a rotary filling valve having respective series of alternately arranged circumferentially spaced valve opening elements and valve closing elements, said respective series being staggered axially of the valve with all of the plurality valve opening elements lying in substantially the same plane and all of the plurality of Valve closing elements lying in substantially another plane displaced axially of said first mentioned plane, means for moving the valve along'a path, a valve opening station including a member for cooperation with said series of valve opening elements for selectively engaging the active element of the series to effect opening of the valve and a valve closing station along the path including means for cooperating with the' series of valve closing elements to engage an active one of said elements to effect closing of the valve.

2. In a filling machine, a rotary filling valve having respective series of alternately arranged circumferentially spaced valve opening elements and valve closing elements, said respective series being staggered axially of the valve, means for moving the valve along a path, a valve opening station including a member for cooperation with said series of valve opening elements for selectively engaging the active element of the series to effect a partial rotation of the valve from closed to open position, 'said partial rotation being effective to move one of said valve closing elements to active position, and a valve closing station along the path including means for cooperating with the series of valve closing elements to engage an active one of said elements to effect closing of the valve by partial rotation thereof and also to bring one of said valve opening elements to active position.

3. In a filling machine having a rotary filling valve and means for moving the valve along a path, means for conveying a container along the path in cooperative relation with the valve, a valve opening station adjacent the path, a valve closing station adjacent the path, said valve including a bracket having an even number of radial ngers equally spaced circumferentially ofthe valve, one set of alternate fingers having mounted thereon and projecting in one axial direction respective valve control elements operable by said opening station in eiecting opening of the valve, and the other set of fingers having mounted thereon and projecting in the opposite axial direction elements operable by said closing station in effecting closing of the valve, one of said rst-named elements being normally disposed for operation by vsaid opening station to effect a partial rotation of said valve and bring one of the other set of lingers with the element thereon in active position for operation by said closing station.

4. In a iilling machine having a lling valve and means for moving the valve along a path, means including a lift member for conveying a container along the path and for lifting it into cooperative relation with the valve, a valve opening station adjacent the path, a valve closing station adjacent the path, said valve including an element operable by said opening station to eiect opening of the valve and a second element operable by said closing station to eiect closing of the valve, said first element being disposed normally in effective position, a no-can-no-ill device associated with said opening station .controlled by the lift member for causing operation of said first element only in response to the presence of a container in cooperative relation with the lift member and the lling valve, said second element being normally disposed in ineffective position and being movable with said rst element upon operation thereof by said opening station to eiective position.

5. In a filling machine having a rotary :filling valve and means for moving the valve along a path. means including a lift means for conveying a container alongthe path and for lifting it into cooperative relation with the valve, a valve opening station adjacent the path, a valve s 10 closing station adjacent the path, said valve including an element operable by said opening station to rotate lthe valve from a closed position thereof to an open position thereof, a second element operablefby said closing station to rotate the valve from an open position to a closed position, said Iirstelement being disposed normally in eiective position, and a no-can-no-ll device associated with said opening station controlled by the lift member for causing operation of said iirst element only in response to the presence of a container in cooperative relation with the lift member and the filling valve, said second element being-normally disposed in ineffective position and being movable with said first element upon operation thereof by said opening station to effective position.

LEONARD MCGIHON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

